In recent years, a system that ships consumables for exchange automatically to a user by automatically transmitting operating conditions of the consumables of an image forming apparatus that is connected to a network in order to increase efficiency has been proposed. In the system, the operating conditions of consumables are determined by whether new consumables were equipped.
The image forming apparatuses that constitute such a system are provided with the following configurations in order to give unique information to consumables and to read the information.
For example, PTL 1 discloses a configuration in which a container-information reading means (an image sensor) reads container information displayed by a unique pattern, such as characters, a mark, a bar code, applied to the container at a predetermined home position.
An image forming apparatus using a toner replenishing mechanism disclosed in PTL 2 reads a unique pattern (a bar code) attached to a toner bottle when the toner bottle is rotated in a direction opposite to the direction at the time of toner replenishment.
PTL 3 discloses an image formation cartridge as a consumable for exchange to which a cartridge IC tag, which performs non-contact data exchange with a body-side communication control means, is attached. The system of PTL 3 automatically orders an additional cartridge when the image formation cartridge is detached from the body of the apparatus.
However, since the configuration of the PTL 1 or PTL 3 uses the expensive image sensor or the IC tag for reading the container information, a product price becomes expensive. In the configuration of PTL 2, the toner cannot be replenished until the unique information of the bottle has been read, which delays the toner replenishment.